Half a century after its inception, the Coast to Coast path becomes a National Trail this spring, opening up the wild landscapes and historic villages of Northern England to a new generation of hikers

7 11.3km / 7 miles / 4.5 hours Ascent 680m/2231ft

AS hotel names go, this one’s a little unusual. Across Church Street, where I’m standing in the Welsh Border town of Chirk, is the Hand Hotel. Parts of it date back to 1610, during the reign of James

■ Distance: 10 miles/16.5km ■ Time: 7 hours ...

Discover the best new walking trails in Britain. It’s time to take a hike…

We arrive at the top of High Cup Nick in the North Pennines. “It’s like the world starts just over there,” comments my friend Mark. He’s pointing down the U-shaped chasm of High Cup Gill, beyond whose